July 18, 2022, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, is on track to meet its sustainability targets for 2030 while increasing initiatives to support its aspirations for 2050, the company’s sustainability report for 2021 shows.

Emphasizing its focus on decarbonization, Carnival and its brands said they are committed to continuing to reduce carbon emission intensity and have long-term aspirations to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

To achieve these goals, the company supports the adaptation of alternative fuels and is testing new technologies as they become available, developing and installing advanced air quality systems, and partnering with various organizations and stakeholders to support and accelerate its decarbonization efforts.

Specifically, Carnival said it remains on track to achieve a 20% carbon intensity reduction by 2030 relative to its 2019 baseline, measured in both grams of CO2e per ALB-km and kilograms of CO2e per ALBD. To reaffirm and strengthen its initial carbon intensity reduction goals for 2030, the company has updated the baseline year for both goals to 2019 from a 2008 baseline.

In addition, as of the end of 2021, 46% of the company’s fleet was equipped with shore power capabilities, enabling ships to use where available while in port.

Moreover, as part of its goal to expand its LNG program, the company additional LNG ships to the fleet in 2021, for a total of six cruise ships currently in operation with the ability to be powered by LNG.

Carnival is also investing in a first-of-its-kind lithium-ion battery storage system, installing hull air lubrication systems, testing fuel cells powered by hydrogen derived from methanol, and exploring carbon capture and storage.

“Thanks to the dedication, support and proactive efforts of our entire global team, ship and shore, we continue to make strong progress in advancing our sustainability program across our six focus areas,” Arnold Donald, CEO and chief climate officer for Carnival Corporation, commented.

“This effort includes our deep commitment to climate action and sustaining positive momentum toward achieving our carbon reduction goals for 2030, while working to be part of the solution to establish a path to net carbon-neutral cruising over time.”

Earlier this year, Carnival Corporation became the first company in the cruise sector to join the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, a nonprofit, independent R&D centre.

Through this partnership, Carnival expects to collaborate with industry players and like-minded organisations across the energy and shipping sectors in addition to accessing learning, knowledge and R&D activities for identifying viable decarbonization pathways.